Feeding mechanism for films in kinematographs.



No. 65!,494. Patented lu ne I2, I900.

- -v. PACHT.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FILMS IN KINEMATOGRAPHS.

(Application filed Sept. 1, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILHELM PAOHT, OF COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FILMS IN KINEMATOGRAPHS.

$PECIFIO'ATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 651,494, dated June 12, 1900.

Application filed September 1,1898. Serial No. 689,998i (N0 model.)

T0 (6 whom it iii/cry concern;

Be it known that I, VILHELM Renew, a subject of the King of Denmark, and a resident of Copenhagen, Denmark, have invented new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for Films in Kinematographs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to kinematographs and similar apparatus, and has more particular reference to mechanism for feeding or actuating the film which forms a part of apparatus of this class.

The animated pictures projected by kinematographs and other analogous apparatus have hitherto had the great defect of vibrating more or less, which spoils the illusion and tires the eye of the spectator. This vibration arises especially from the forward movement and the alternating stoppages which in rapid succession are to be communicated by the feeding mechanism to the film or band containing the pictures. The mechanism forming the subject of my invention does away with the aforesaid vibrations.

My invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which like reference characters denote like parts in the several Views, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a feeding mechanism for apparatus of the class described and constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2, a front elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 a transverse section on the line X Y of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I provide a metallic plate B, which is a conductor of electricity and upon which are mounted the various working parts of my mechanism about to be described. The usual film A, upon which appear the pictures or symbols by which the images are formed, passes about a roller A, supported adjacent the top of the plate B, and extends downwardly adjacent the rear face of said plate and passesthrough an opening T in the lower portion thereof. The film A is provided in each edge portion with a row of perforations a. Connected with the front face of the plate 13 are a pair of parallel arms or brackets R, in which is journaled a shaft C, and revolubly mounted upon said shaft is a drum 0 provided at each end with a flange 0, one of which is provided upon its side with a gearwheel C. The shaft 0 is provided with a crank 0 bywhich it may be revolved, and with a pulley 0 adjacent said crank. A pair of arms D, each of which passes through an opening in the plate B, are hinged to a bracket D, arranged upon the rear face of said plate, and the inner and outer ends of the arms D are connected, respectively, by cross-pieces E and E. A vertical screw F is operatively mounted in a bracket F, arranged beneath the bracket D, and said screw operates in connection with the cross-piece E. A drum 0 is journaled in the arms D, beneath the drum Ciand is provided at one end with a gear-wheel c, which operates in connection with the gear-wheel O. The film A passes between the flanges O O and the drum cand thence about a pulley or drum S, suitably supported beneath the drum 0. Two electromagnets Q Q are suitably supported rearwardly and at either side of the drum C and the cross-piece E is metallic and serves as an armature thereof. The screw F serves to adjust the oross-piece or armature E with relation to the electromagnets Q Q. A short shaft G is journaled in the upper portion of the plate 13 and is provided with a pulley H, which is operatively connected with the pulley C by means of belts h h, which pass about both of said pulleys and actuate asuitablysupported double transmission-pulley W.

Fixed to the shaft G is the usual shutter I, and connected with one face of the pulley II is a beveled cam K. Beneath the shaft G a pair of brackets M are secured to the plate B, and pivotally connected therewith is a three-sided metallic frame M, and mounted upon said brackets M are a pair of springs M, which bear upon the frame M, (shown in Fig. 1,) said springs being partially broken away in Fig. 2. Fixed to the transverse members of the frame M is a hook L, and the springs M normally force said hook against the face of the pulley H, which bears the cam K, which latter operates in connection with said hook.

J ournaled in the upright members of the frame M, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, is a lever-frame N, the extremities of which are pointed and pass through openings in the plate B, adapted to register with the openings a in the film A. A contact-button O is mounted upon a metal bracket O,connected with and insulated from the plate B, and the lever-frame N is provided with a contact-button h, which a suitably-supported spring P is adapted to force into engagement with the contact-button O. The brackets M frame M, and leverframe N are metallic and constitute circuit members. As shown in Fig. 2, a circuit-wire 5 is connected electrically with any suitable source of electrical supply and also with the plate B, which operates as a circuit member. Acircuit-wire 6 is also connected electrically with the same source of electrical supply and with the electromagnets Q Q, and a circuitwire 7 is electrically connected with the latter and with the bracket O',which, as stated, is insulated from the plate B and forms a circuit member.

The operation of my mechanism will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying. drawings and the following statement thereof: The parts are normally in the position shown in the drawings, the film A bei ng at rest. The crank O is continuously turned, revolving the shaft C, the pulley C the pulley \V, the pulley II, and shaft G. hen the cam K engages the hook L, it forces forwardly the frame, drawing the pointed ends a of the lever-frame N out of the openings (t in the film A, in two of which they normall y rest, and depresses the forward end of said lever-frame, which is acted upon by the spring P, forcing the contact-button 71, into contact with the button 0, and an electrical circuit is at once established through the button O, the bracket 0, the wire '6, the electromagnets Q Q, the wire (5, the source of electrical supply, (not shown,) the wire 5, the plate B, the frame M, the lever-frame N, the button 7t, and back to the button 0. hen this closed circuit is established, the electromagnets Q Q at once raise the metallic armature E, which is the cross-piece of the arms D, and the drum 0 forces the film A into tight engagement with the flanges O of the drum C and as the shaft 0 is continuously turning the film is moved downwardly behind the plate B, the drum 0 being revolved by the intermeshing of the gear-plates O and 0. After the cam K has ceased engagement with the hook L and when said film has advanced to such degree that two of the openings Ct therein coincide with the said ends at, said ends will be forced through said openings by the action of the springs M upon the frame M,

and the upper edges of said openings will 0scillate the lever-frame N, withdrawing the button h from contact with the button 0 and opening the circuit above described, causing the armature E, arms D, and drum 0 to fall and allowing the film A to rest loosely and im movably upon the said drums. The film A will remain at rest until the cam K again forces the hook L forwardly, causing a repetition of the operation described.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The herein-described film-feeding mechanism for kinematographs, and similar apparatus, comprising an electromagnet, a film,

. contiuuously-operated means for feeding the same adapted to be operatively connected with said film by said clectromagnet, devices for closing an electrical circuit through said electromagnet to move said film and devices adapted to be operated by said film to open said closed circuit through said electrom agnet to stop said film substantially as shown and described.

2. The herein-described filmfeeding mechanisms for kinemat-ographs and similar apparatus comprising a film, devices for supporting the same, a drum about which said film passes, an elcctromagnet, a drum movably mounted and connected with an armature adapted to operate in connection with said electromagnet, said film passiugbetweeu said drums, devices for closing an electrical Cltcuit through said elcctromagnet to cause said drums to bite said film, means for continuously operating one of said drums and movable devices operatingiu connection with said film foropening said electrical circuit through said electromagnet to release said armature substantially as shown and described.

In a mechanism of the class described, a film, devices for supporting the same, a revolubly-mounted drum about which said film is passed, m cans for eontin uously'operating said drum, movable devices for causing said drum to bite said film to move the same and devices operated by said film for releasing said film from said drum, substantially as shown and described.

at. In a mechanism of the class described, a

movably-supported film, an electromagnet,.

a revel uble continuously-operated drum, and devices operated by said electromagnet and which directly engage said film to force the same into frictional engagement with said drum, when said electromagnet is energized, whereby said film is moved, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a mechanism of the class described, a source of electrical supply, a metal plate or frame, electrically connected therewith, a film movably supported adjacent thereto, a continuously-operated drum, an electromagnet acting when energized to force said film into engagement with the drum, a pivotallymounted spring-operated device mechanicallyand electrically connected with said plate and provided with a contact-button, and adapted to operate in connection with said film, a contact-button connected with and insulated from said plate, means for intermittently operating said pivotally-mounted device to electrically connect said buttons, one of which is in electrical connection with said eleetromagnet, said electrom-agnet being also in electrical connection with said source of.

IIO

om aua 3 electrical supply, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a mechanism of the class described, a continuously-operated drum, a movably-sup- I ported film provided with openings, an electromagnet provided with an armature device arranged to directly engage and force said film into frictional connection with said drum, whereby said film is moved, devices for closing an electrical circuit through said electromagnet, and devices adapted to be mechanically operated by engagement with openings in said film for opening said electrical circuit, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a mechanism of the class described, a film, two revoluble drums, one being an idler mounted 011 pivoted support, and the other being continuously operated, said film passing between said drums, and said drums being provided with intermeshing gears,an elec tromagnet, an armature connected with said pivotal support and devices for closing an electrical circuit through said electromagnet, substantially as shown and described.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a suitably-supported film, continuously-operating means for moving the same, an electromagnet adapted to operatively connect said film and said continuously-operating means, a pivoted device operated by said film to maintain an open electrical circuit through said electromagnet, a cam-wheel which operates in connection with said pivoted device to intermittently close said electrical circuit, and means for operating said cam-wheel, substantially as shown and described. I

9. In an apparatus of the class described, an electromagnet, a spring-actuated pivoted frame, a lever-frame pivoted at its sides in the sides thereof, a hook or catch connected with said spring-actuated pivoted frame, a cam-wheel adapted to operate in connection with said hook or catch, a movably-mounted film provided with openings in which the ends of said lever-frame operate, means for moving said film and which said electromagnet is adapted to operatively connect with said film, said electromagnet and lever-frame being provided with electrical connections through which 'an electrical circuit may be closed by the actuation by said cam of said hook or catch,and lever-frame,substantially as shown and described.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a continuously-operated cam-wheel, a support, a film movably mounted adjacent thereto, devices adapted to engage and move said film, an electromagnet adapted to operatively connect said devices and said film, a springactuated electrically-conducting frame pivoted to said metal support, and provided with a projection in connection with which said cam-wheel operates, a lever-frame pivoted in the sides of said spring-actuated frame and provided with a contact device, a contact device in electrical connection with said electromagnet and adapted to be engaged by said contact device upon said lever-frame, said support being also in electrical connection with said electromagnet, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

VILHELM PACHT- 

